Tipping Mousekeeping

[21stamps]

Tipping housekeeping is not a social custom. Tipping in restaurants is because is will clearly say suggested gratuity or if a party of 8 or more, it is required.

I have yet to see any documentation from any hotel I have stayed in in the United States that says tipping is even suggested. Outside of cruise lines, nada.

Wow. Sorry, that's where you're wrong. Isn't it still taught in schools? I posted previously, tipping certain positions have always been standard etiquette. No not a law..but a common practice.
And plenty of hotels have tip envelope or cards displaying the name of your housekeeper..which is where it's standard to leave the tip

 

[disney4life2008]

If you mean someone who is only there for a few minutes to clean then moves on then no. If you mean at the nicer establishment where their entire job is to wait on the patrons in the restroom, then yes. Or at least yes when I have the ability and cash. This position is rare enough where I normally don't expect it and have been surprised once or twice.

I tend to conform to societal tipping standards. One is a standard practice and the other isn't. It is a sign of my generosity and thanks.

Again, you are comparing premium to cheaper. I would expect someone at the grand floridian to leave a tip especially at concierge level. But at all star sports?

 

[disney4life2008]

Wow. Sorry, that's where you're wrong. Isn't it still taught in schools? I posted previously, tipping certain positions have always been standard etiquette. No not a law..but a common practice.
And plenty of hotels have tip envelope of cards displaying the name of your housekeeper..which is where it's standard to leave the tip

Taught in school? No! I do agree i remember years ago a housekeeping envelop for tips. I want to say that was at Disney? But that doesn't mean people actually left a tip

 

[21stamps]

Again, you are comparing premium to cheaper. I would expect someone at the grand floridian to leave a tip especially at concierge level. But at all star sports?

Hold on, what? So the housekeepers at All Stars do less work?
Why would someone at GF tip but not at All Stars?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Again, you are comparing premium to cheaper. I would expect someone at the grand floridian to leave a tip especially at concierge level. But at all star sports?

Walt Disney World is "premium," period. All Star Sports is cheaper than the Grand Floridan but it's a lot more than the Super 8 on 192 or a Motel 6 in Toledo.

Also, as @KrzyKtty said, it's a matter of etiquette. Etiquette does not say "tip at premium establishments but not at cheaper ones." Etiquette says "tip at table service restaurants but not counter-service. Tip bathroom attendants but not custodians. Tip housekeeping always."

My wife and I will spend $40 for a meal at Flame Tree Barbecue and $30 at Chilis. Yet the Chilis waiter gets a top and the Flame Tree cashier does not. Clearly, it's not a matter of "premium" versus "cheaper."

 

[KrzyKtty]

Again, you are comparing premium to cheaper. I would expect someone at the grand floridian to leave a tip especially at concierge level. But at all star sports?

No not premium to cheaper, different positions. There is a difference in the jobs. One comes in once or twice to clean the bathrooms and then moves on to other duties. There is almost never any interaction between the custodian and the guest. The other position I am talking about is a bathroom attendant. Their position yes does include the maintenance of the bathroom, but it also includes them providing me towels, hand soap, lotions, and sometimes other amenities. Their entire job for that shift is located in the bathroom. Similar, but not the same.

So it isn't me comparing premium cheaper, but one position to the other. Granted, it is true that you do not normally find this type of position in cheaper establishments. However if All Star had a full time bathroom attendant, I would tip him/her.

 

[21stamps]

Taught in school? No! I do agree i remember years ago a housekeeping envelop for tips. I want to say that was at Disney? But that doesn't mean people actually left a tip

Well, it should be. I think every school having an etiquette/manners class is helpful. It covers a lot more than just tipping, and it can help with the logistics of many situations if someone wasn't taught how to do so at home...or even just for practice and awareness beyond what you were taught at home.
Granted, Google and Templates have become great tools, but people still have to know that they need those tools in the first place

 

[KrzyKtty]

Tipping housekeeping is not a social custom. Tipping in restaurants is because is will clearly say suggested gratuity or if a party of 8 or more, it is required.

I have yet to see any documentation from any hotel I have stayed in in the United States that says tipping is even suggested. Outside of cruise lines, nada.

Just to act as devil's advocate, I have seen quite a few hotels leave envelopes for tipping the housekeeping. I have also been to enough restaurants that don't say anything about a suggested gratuity. They only hint about tipping in the line on the check for you to fill in.

There are plenty of social etiquette norms that aren't spelled out because they are generally accepted by most. Granted, there are always the outliers and that is fine. When I worked in restaurants tipping was always appreciated, but I knew not to expect it. You never know people's personal beliefs. So all you can do is your best and hope it is appreciated appropriately.

 

[Otterhead]

Do you tip the custodial workers in a public restroom?

I don't sleep in a public restroom, do you?

 

[Hakunamatata]

If you don't tip maids, you shouldn't stay at hotels. Very cut and dry, very simple.
Not tipping = no class.
This isn't an argument or something to agree to disagree on. It's very straightforward. Tip or stay at home.

I travel for business. Upwards of 150-160 days a year. I dont tip, but I dont have daily service. Usually only when I need new towels and then I only ask them to give me new towels. I make my own bed.

Now I will say that we already have a tipping plan for our trip this summer. A faily thank you card with a 5 bill in it for each day. Four of us are going to be staying in the room so we will need daily service.

 

[KrzyKtty]

Well, it should be. I think every school having an etiquette/manners class is helpful. It covers a lot more than just tipping, and it can help with the logistics of many situations if someone wasn't taught how to do so at home...or even just for practice and awareness beyond what you were taught at home.
Granted, Google and Templates have become great tools, but people still have to know that they need those tools in the first place

Now I feel stupid... What is Templates? I assume you aren't talking about standard templates and an actual program of some sort since it is capitalized?

 

[PurpleDragon]

Wow, I can't believe you guys are arguing over semantics and personal preference. There is no standard as to who deserves a tip and who does not, each person sees things differently and will not always see a need to tip in situations where others do. But all in all no one should be insulted or called out for the personal choices they make in reference to this issue. (EDIT: Except people who don't tip wait staff, waiters in the US are paid less than minimum wage in most places and depend on tips to make ends meet.)

The way I look at it is Mousekeeping does something that directly affects your stay at Disney, they clean your room, bring you extra amenities, and many of them will go above and beyond to do something magical/unique in your room as a little surprise for your kids (towel animals, arranging toys in a playful way, leaving extra stuff, etc..). It is not in their job description to do the extra things they do for guests, its something they do out of the kindness of their heart to make your stay a little more magical. So seeing as their job directly impacts our stay and they often go above and beyond for us, I feel it is worth the effort to tip each day as a way of saying thank you for all that they do.

 

[Otterhead]

Now I will say that we already have a tipping plan for our trip this summer. A faily thank you card with a 5 bill in it for each day. Four of us are going to be staying in the room so we will need daily service.

Exactly. There's a common-sense difference between crashing at a Super 8 for the night and staying at a WDW resort with daily service. When maids are cleaning your bathroom, making your beds, supplying towels, etc, tipping (either daily or at the end of your visit) is a commonplace, expected way to say thank you.

 

[21stamps]

Now I feel stupid... What is Templates? I assume you aren't talking about standard templates and an actual program of some sort since it is capitalized?

Sorry yes, Siri is typing for me and I don't know why she capitalized that. Lol
Like for invitations, thank you's, etc.

 

[KrzyKtty]

Sorry yes, Siri is typing for me and I don't know why she capitalized that. Lol
Like for invitations, thank you's, etc.

Ok. Thanks. I thought there was some sort of amazing program out there that everyone but me knew about lol.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It is not in their job description to do the extra things they do for guests, its something they do out of the kindness of their heart to make your stay a little more magical.

Yes it is. It explicitly is.

(Not using that as a justification not to tip.)

 

[PurpleDragon]

Yes it is. It explicitly is.

(Not using that as a justification not to tip.)

So they're required to make the towel animals? Or is it just a general "Do something unique"?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So they're required to make the towel animals? LOL!

Yes. It's a formal part of their training.

LOL!

 

[KrzyKtty]

Slight divergent question. But do you tip at Be Our Guest Lunch?? I know it is technically counter service, but I thought they still had some sort of waiter?

Last time I went to WDW this wasn't open yet, so I'm not sure.

 

[Otterhead]

But do you tip at Be Our Guest Lunch?? I know it is technically counter service, but I thought they still had some sort of waiter?

Good question. It's counter service, but they do deliver your food by cart and bus your table afterwards. I believe we left a few bucks for 'cleanup' gratuity but not a full 20% by any means. I agree that situations like that are a bit confusing.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Slight divergent questions. But do you tip at Be Our Guest Lunch?? I know it is technically counter service, but I thought they still had some sort of waiter?

Last time I went to WDW this wasn't open yet, so I'm not sure.

Eh, it's not really a waiter (assuming it's the same at lunch as it is at breakfast). I would have left a couple of dollars but they were absolutely horrible to me my one time there. The worst service I've ever had at WDW.

Good question. It's counter service, but they do deliver your food by cart and bus your table afterwards. I believe we left a few bucks for 'cleanup' gratuity but not a full 20% by any means. I agree that situations like that are a bit confusing.

Another gray area... I really dislike the mandatory gratuity for a party of six or more. Six is within "normal family" size and I don't always thing a buffet warrants full gratuity. But YMMV.